Continue to Stand in the Gap: Jefferson County

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. Psalm 126:6 NIV

The geographical heart of Oregon includes Crook County, Deschutes, and Jefferson. We are taking a look at Jefferson County. You can see earlier posts here, here, and here.

The photo, right, is of Ashwood Church, in Ashwood, a ghost town about thirty miles northeast of Madras.

The elected officials of Jefferson County include the three County Commissioners, Mark Wunsch, Wayne Fording, and Kelly Simmelink. Katherine Zemke is the County Clerk, and Steven Leriche is the District Attorney.

The Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division sometimes only has one deputy for the entire county on duty, but they are working to increase the division so that there can be at least two at any given time, both for the safety of the officers and to meet the community's needs. Currently, the jail in Jefferson County has a population of around 70 inmates daily. The Sheriff is Jason Pollock.

Jefferson County, Oregon

Madras is the county seat of Jefferson.  Part of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation is the northern part of Jefferson County.

When World War II broke out, the town of Madras had about 300 residents. A U.S. Army base was built nearby and infused new life into the small desert town. The airfield was built by the Army to train B-17 squadrons. Known as the “Flying Fortress” due to its size, it earned a reputation for holding up to heavy damage during combat. Madras had clear skies and ideal year-round weather for training the crews. One surviving hangar from the era was introduced into the National Register of Historic Places about eight years ago. This type of all-wood hangar is huge, but would only hold one Flying Fortress at a time. Later in the war, the base began training for smaller fighter planes and then was closed when the war ended in 1945.

In 1983 a museum to house vintage WWII aircraft was begun by Jack Erickson in Madras.  Currently, the Erickson Aircraft Collection has many vintage planes and in-depth information about the planes and the war years in Madras.

Just after the war, an irrigation project, long in the works, finally brought irrigation to the Willow Creek Basin which contains Madras. A land rush and population boom followed as the watered land was finally able to produce lush crops, including mint and seed. The population was further increased when PGE built two dams on the Deschutes River in the 50’s and 60’s, increasing the area’s economic opportunities.

While farming and ranching continue to be the economic base of the area, Bright Wood Corporation, a wood-remanufacturing plant in Madras, is a sizable employer, as is the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution (state prison) just out of town. Being at the junction of Highways 97 and 26 makes Madras an easy stop for tourists and travelers going through Central Oregon. Currently, Madras is a thriving multicultural community of around 7500 people.

The Cove Pallisades State park is a draw for tourists, and the Madras area has interesting things to visit like a local lavender farm, and a rock ranch where you can buy thundereggs and other central Oregon semi-precious gemstones.

Churches in Madras include Madras Church of Christ, First Baptists Church of Madras, Madras United Methodist Church, Good Shepherd Lutheran & St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and The Gathering Madras.